Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-01-11

ALEXANDRIA.-Th following description
Of this city is given by the State Commits
soner of Agriculture in his "Hand Book Of
Virginia.
"Alexsndria was originally part of Fairfax.
Having been ceded to the general government IS
q portion OF the District OF Columbia, and retro
ced,d to Virginia in 1917. it organized into
4 county The area is very small, being only ten
miles long and five miles wide, with S,421
acres, assessed at $796,57S. The population, in
GLIDING Alexandria city, is II .546-white, 1912;
colorcd, 1874. This county lies along the south
bank of the Potomac river, within the District o:
Columbia, containing the federal capitol, Washing
ton city, and Georgetown, on the opposite bank.
The county seat is the very considerable town of
Alexandra, on the Potomac which has popula
ton of about 14,000. The commercial advant
ages of Alexandria city and county are unsur-
passed the facilities for shipping and means of
access TO market being all that could be desired
The river, here mile wide is navigabe for tho
largest vessels, with depth of thirty five feet at
the wharve3. Alexandra is admirably situated
for manufacturing purposes, being near the mines
of coal and iron and on a deep river The Alex
andria and Fredericksburg, Virginia Midland
Washington and Ohio and Washington and Alex
andria Railroads all centre here, and the Alexan-
dria Canal, connecting with the Chesapeake and
Ohio, forms q water line 10 Cumberland, 1877
miles above; transportation is therefore cheap
and expeditions The decay of foreign trade
consequent upon its concentration through the
influence CT steam in few great cities, has left
large number OF warehouses unoccupied. These
can be purchased or rented at very low rates for
manufacturing purposes, and many Of them have
wharf privileges and a railroad in front Of them.
Clay for brick making is abundant, and four ex-
tensive brick yards are now III successful opera
ton and there is an abundant supply of excellent
sand for building purposes, while limestone is
brought to the kilns very cheaply by the canal.
The city is being improved every year by the
erection of hundred or more buildings, many OF
them handsome brick ones, yet rents are low and
lots cheap School facilities are excellent. Be-
sides the public schools which employ twenty-six
teachers and educated last year 900 children in
eight grades, there more private schools for
the popuJation than in almost any city i'll the
union. may name st Johns Academy, q mill
tary school, which had last year patronage from
fourteen States and Territories; Potomac Acade-
my, another hourishing institution for young
men: ST. Marys Academy, Arlington Institute,
Mount Vernon Institute. the Alexandria Female
Seminary, and other excellent schools of high
grade for young ladies' besides Catholic and Luz
theran parish schools, and many private schools
for children of both sexes. Church accommoda
tons are abundant There are five Methodist
churches, three Episcopal three Presbyterian,
one Catholic, Baptist and one Lutheran,
Friends meeting house and Jewish synagogue,
for white people, and seven Baptist one Methodist
anu Ouc EplSCOpdl CplOlCu al ShSAbg -Aoui
places OF worship one for every six hundred peo
pie. The place is quiet and orderly, and its mo-
rality is decidedly above the average. 1t has
very full supply of the finest and purest water
SO pure that the reagents which blacken ordinary
hyirant water elsewhere do not at ct its transpar
ency. lis fire department IS unexcelled in the coun-
try for its efficiency. Its health is excellent it
has not suffered from any pestilence since the
beginning of the century, even the cholera
touching it very lightly in 1S32, and passing it
by in all lis other visitatons. One Of the schools
with fifty students boarding in it, has bad but
two Deaths teacher and pupil, in more than
half century, aud advertised ono year that its
physicians bills averaged but twenty-five cents
to each student, at full rates. Its nearness to
Washington also adds to its advantages. There is
communication By rail or boat every half hour
during the day, and several trains up to midnight,
ut cost almost nominal so that the amusements
and instructive collections OF that beautiful city
are always within easy reach The soil of this
county is well suited for market gardens and the
proximity of Alexandria city and Washington
give great advantages in this respect, and for
dairy farming. Washington is rapidly becoming
one Of the greatest cities of the country and lands
in the vicinity fast enhancing in value"